Pierre Cauchon

Pierre Cauchon (1371-18 December 1442) was Bishop of Beauvais from 1420 to 1432. He supported England during the Hundred Years' War, and he was responsible for Joan of Arc's execution on charges of heresy.

Biography
Pierre Cauchon was born in Reims, France in 1371, and he became a priest after studying at the University of Paris. He allied himself with Burgundian party leaders John the Fearless and Philip the Good, and he justified Louis I of Orleans' assassination by claiming that he had planned to usurp the throne. In 1414, he was banished from Paris for supporting the Burgundians, and he proceeded to become Chaplain of the Duchy of Burgundy and Bishop of Beauvais in 1420. In 1431, he oversaw the trial and execution of the French commander Joan of Arc, accusing her of heresy. This meant that he could not return to Beauvais after it returned to French control, and he served as Bishop of Lisieux until his death in 1442 in Rouen.